An electric arc furnace can be used to produce a wide variety of ferrous materials, from cast iron through all grades of carbon and alloy steels, as well as a full range of stainless steel grades. The type of processing ranges from a simple re-melting operation to a sophisticated blending and refining using numerous kinds of additives. Conventional charging is through the furnace top after the cover has been raised and swung aside to allow materials to be charged into the furnace bowl. Where hot molten metal is available, this is most desirable as the yield is increased due to cycle reduction. When heavy scrap is the source of the metal, the charge presently must be in large pieces, so-called "heavy melting" or "bundles", as the charge must be heavy enough to drop through the slag layer on top of the remaining melt. The furnace cover is then returned to the covering position, and the electrodes are then lowered into operating position. In the case of a hot metal charge, there is very slight physical resistance to the entrance of the electrodes. However, in the case of bundles or heavy melting scrap, the electrodes are lowered gradually as they create a small puddle around each electrode. This allows the large pieces or bundles to adjust themselves, frequently hitting the electrode hard enough to break or fracture one or more electrodes. This is a high factor in operating costs of an electric furnace in such a process. Also, there is considerable oxidation during this described melt-down process, creating considerable oxide gases and pollutants. In this invention steel or iron particulates are plunged directly into the high temperature bath well beneath the surface level and are almost instantaneously dissolved. This reduces the oxidation of the small particles. Due to the plunger operation design, the charge is propelled into the bath at speeds from forty to one hundred feet per minute. This action creates added turbulence in the bath and separates the particulates to stimulate fast dissolving.